Generally, a washing machine is an apparatus for washing laundry put into a tub by means of the friction generated by agitating the laundry together with wash water and a detergent using the driving force of a motor. A silver solution is a mixture of water and silver ions (Ag+), and refers to a colloidal solution containing silver ions in a nano-particle state suspended in the water.
Silver (Ag) does not cause tolerance, differing from general antibiotics, and is nontoxic, thus being safe. Further, silver (Ag) even in a solid state has served as a natural antibiotic agent. However, large particles of silver may cause damage to the human body.
When silver (Ag) in the form of small particles is used, it has increased antibiotic and bactericidal effects. As the recent development of nano-techniques allows silver to be prepared in as a silver solution of a colloidal state, silver solution supply devices are installed in washing machines. The silver solution is made by electrolysis, chemical analysis, etc. The silver solution supply device of the washing machine generally employs electrolysis.
In a general washing machine using a silver solution, the silver solution is supplied to a tub and then a water current is generated, thereby performing a wash mode of the washing machine. Here, in order to maximize antibiotic and bactericidal effects, silver more than a designated concentration must be supplied. The silver solution supply device usually employs the current of the water supplied to the washing machine. In case that the current of the water has an excessively high speed, silver cannot be sufficiently ionized by the electrolysis and an insufficient concentration of silver ions deteriorates antibiotic and bactericidal effects.